> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.soundchecklive.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Operator data imports

> Bulk-load gigs, venues, customers, and invitations from a spreadsheet

The operator data importer lets you bring legacy bookings into Soundcheck in bulk — gigs, venues, customers, and crew invitations — without re-typing each row. It lives at `/imports` and is available to CRM managers and owners.

<Frame caption="The operator data importer — upload a spreadsheet and map it onto events">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/soundchecklive/mk_r9PJDOnmW-Y-P/images/imports/import-wizard.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=mk_r9PJDOnmW-Y-P&q=85&s=f9a5844775b859bf970df89a573927d6" alt="Import wizard with target type selection and file upload dropzone" width="2560" height="1600" data-path="images/imports/import-wizard.png" />
</Frame>

<Note>
  Re-importing the same file is safe. The importer is **idempotent**: rows matched by external ID or natural key are updated in place rather than duplicated.
</Note>

<Info>
  Importing a **structured** spreadsheet is one of three ways data lands in Soundcheck. For **unstructured** gig paperwork — a contract, call sheet, rider, or email — use [AI file ingestion](/features/ai/file-ingestion) instead, which extracts the records for you. For a recurring source with a webhook, use [n8n CRM sync](/crm/integrations/n8n-crm-sync). All three produce the same [Universal Event Format](/features/imports/universal-event-format).
</Info>

***

## When to use it

* Migrating from a spreadsheet, paper records, or another CRM.
* Loading a season of advance bookings in one pass.
* Pulling in a partner's gig feed before the n8n CRM sync is wired up.

If you only have a handful of events, create them directly under **Gigs → Create gig**.

***

## What you can import

| Source       | Format          | Limit  |
| ------------ | --------------- | ------ |
| File upload  | `.xlsx`, `.csv` | 25 MiB |
| Paste        | CSV or TSV      | 8 MiB  |
| Rows per job | —               | 50,000 |

Each row produces — at most — one event (and its venue, customer, and one crew invitation). When you have several crew on the same gig, use **row grouping** so multiple rows collapse into one event with multiple members.

***

## The four-step wizard

<Steps>
  <Step title="Parse">
    Upload a file or paste your data. Soundcheck detects the format, normalizes the headers, and pulls a 20-row sample for the next step. While a commit is in flight the job is locked — re-parses are blocked until the commit finishes.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Map">
    Soundcheck proposes column → field mappings, either with the AI mapper (opt-in, PII scrubbed before any model call) or by heuristic match. Review the mapping, adjust as needed, and optionally save it as a template for future imports. If a single gig spans multiple rows, set **Row grouping = `group_by_external_id`**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Preview">
    Dry-run the import. You'll see exact counts of what would be created vs. updated for events, venues, customers, and invitations — plus row-level errors (missing required fields, invalid dates, members without a contact channel). The counts here match exactly what Commit will write.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Commit">
    Write the records. Events, venues, and customers go through in a single transaction; invitations follow in a deduped second phase. You get a per-row outcome (`IMPORTED`, `UPDATED`, `DUPLICATE`, `FAILED`) so you can audit what happened.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## What gets created

The importer can write to four entity types:

* **Events** — matched by `external_id` first, then by `(title, event_date)`.
* **Venues** — matched by name within the organization.
* **Customers** — matched by name within the organization.
* **Invitations** — one per crew member row that has a contact channel.

External IDs are stable across runs. If your source system has a gig ID, customer ID, or venue ID, map it — re-importing then produces zero new rows, only updates.

***

## Addressable channel requirement

An invitation can only be sent if Soundcheck can reach the person. So a member row needs at least one of:

* Email address
* Phone number

Rows without either are silently skipped during commit. The **Preview** step mirrors this rule, so the count you see is exactly the count Commit will write.

***

## Permissions

The importer requires the **CRM manager** capability on the organization. Owners always have this; admins can be granted it through roles & permissions.

***

## Sample file

A 14-row sample lives at [`docs/sample-imports/operator-business-import.csv`](https://github.com/soundchecklive/soundcheck-mobile-app/blob/dev/docs/sample-imports/operator-business-import.csv). It exercises the full pipeline:

* **5 events** — Acme Holiday Party, Smith-Johnson Wedding, Riverside Festival, Westside Brunch Set, Mercer Birthday.
* **5 venues** and **5 customers**.
* **14 invitations** across 5 distinct performers with mixed positions.
* Re-running the file produces zero new rows.

<Tip>
  After importing the sample, edit one Gig Name and re-import. The Preview should show **1 updated, 4 unchanged** for events.
</Tip>

***

## Related

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Universal Event Format" icon="code" href="/features/imports/universal-event-format">
    Schema reference for partner feeds and advanced mappings
  </Card>

  <Card title="AI file ingestion" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/features/ai/file-ingestion">
    Extract records from contracts, call sheets, and emails
  </Card>

  <Card title="n8n CRM sync" icon="plug" href="/crm/integrations/n8n-crm-sync">
    Recurring sync for sources with a webhook
  </Card>
</CardGroup>